Background: Nepal suffered two major
earthquakes on April 25th and May 12th 2015. These caused
destruction and loss of life in and around the epicentres, Ghorkha and Dolakha
districts respectively and across several other areas of the country including
the capital, Kathmandu. The damage in Kathmandu was largely in isolated pockets
and the city was functioning at near normal levels around a week after the
first quake. Aftershocks continue to jolt the country on a regular basis, however
these are generally of low intensity and have little effect on day to day life
in most cases.

Nepal is currently experiencing monsoon

Many countries governments have travel warnings in action regarding
travel to and in Nepal. Check your country’s travel advice. Be aware there are
many inconsistencies between the various travel advisories out there.

Be safe, check information sources carefully before you travel.

It is possible to have an amazing and inspiring travel experience in
Nepal. As with any journey, prepare well, use common sense and actively seek
advice and information to get the best from your trip.

YELLOW
- 14 worst affected districts: do not travel

The earthquakes of April
25th and May 12th severely affected 14 Districts in the
north-centre of Nepal. These districts are still very unstable and experiencing
severe problems.

We would not recommend travel to or through any of these areas,
unless working specifically on aid, relief or rebuild missions. People needing
to travel to these districts for the above purposes are strongly advised to
work with a registered organisation and coordinated with local government
offices and police / army.

ICIMOD has advised that these areas are at very high risk of landslide
during the monsoon months as heavy rainfall loosens already unstable slopes in
these areas.

Note: Ghorkha District includes the Manaslu trekking area; Rasuwa
includes the Langtang area; Dolakha includes the Rolwaling / Ganesh Himal
trekking areas.

Kathmandu Valley
(including Bakhtapur and Patan): whilst the majority of the valley suffered
only minor damage in both earthquakes there are still many walls, buildings and
roads / trails that have been affected, some destroyed completely.

Buildings – the sticker system

We advise you to pay close
attention to the buildings you frequent – you should look for the ‘Green
Sticker’ on the building’s entrance. The green sticker shows that the building
has been assessed for damage and is considered safe to use by government
engineers.

Enter ‘Orange’ stickered
buildings only if absolutely necessary

Avoid red stickered
buildings – keep a good distance from them.

Walking, riding, moving around the city and valley villages

Many places in the city
are virtually unaffected however we advise you pay attention to the routes
you’re taking – check that walls are uncracked and not leaning, pay attention
to the red taped areas around the heritage sites.

Walking around the
Kathmandu city has always been a bit of an obstacle course, what with potholes,
dirt tracks, traffic and the odd cow or even elephant wandering about. These
things are still prevalent (it’s part of the charm!). In addition though be
aware that not every wall / house has been checked so keep your eyes open and
use common sense.

While the popular heritage
sites in Kathmandu have seen some damage, the rubble has been removed and paths
created for travellers. Nepal opened its heritage sites on 05th June 2015
officially. Stay clear of red-taped off areas and exercise common sense when
moving through small alleyways etc.

One bonus of visiting at
this time is a chance to see many of Nepal’s highly skilled artisans and
craftsmen at work as they start the time-honoured job of rebuild and renewal
(some of our monuments are still being repaired after the 1934 earthquake!)

Running and walking / cycling trails

Watch out for cracks and
fractures in running, walking and hiking trails.

Tracks and trails in the
valley and beyond change by the day in the monsoon time as heavy downpours
cause erosion and small slips and slides. These effects may be heightened by
quake loosed earth. The usual guidelines of trekking / biking apply – let
someone know your route and expected return time; carry a phone and small first
aid kit with you in case of mishaps; don’t be afraid to ask for directions or
help from locals.

Mountain areas: trekking, mountain biking, trail running and
climbing

At this time of year many
of the mountain areas are difficult to access and to move through as heavy
rains and dense cloud obscure visibility (for planes) and turn jeep tracks into
muddy waterways. This is normal for Nepal. However in addition this year there
are still some trail sections that are ay higher risk of landslide and some
mountainous areas closer to the affected districts where we may reasonably
expect more intense monsoon effects. Talk to locals, use your mountain skills
and experience to risk assess routes before your travel and as you move. Stay
alert and, as ever, be prepared to change or abandon your trip as conditions
change. Use a reputable travel operator.

Trail, bridge and lodge assessments in the main trekking areas

Most reputable travel
operators have carried out trail, bridge and lodge assessments in the areas
they run trips. These should be available – just ask your agent.

We are also in the process
of consolidating these reports into a cross-checked reference document.

In addition world experts
teams from Miyamoto have assessed Everest and Annapurna. Their initial report
gives both regions the all clear apart from a short section of trail which has
already had diversions created. Their report is due on July 19th.

A Swiss backed team of
geologists and rural trail experts have also assessed Manaslu area. Trail
repairs and bridges are now being worked on. Their report is available on
request.

As noted above it is not
advised to travel to Langtang, Rolwaling and Manaslu at the moment.

Many parts of the country
were unaffected (or only mildly affected) by the earthquakes.

Lumbini, birthplace of
Lord Gautauma Buddha; the tea plantations of Ilam; Lakeside and Pokhara;
Janakphur; Chitwan, Bardia and Kosi Tappu National Parks are all operating as
normal.

The Annapurnas, Mustang,
Dolpo, the Far West and eastern mountains (Kanchenjunga) are largely unaffected
by the earthquake. Trekkers and mountain bikers have been enjoying the empty
trails there for the past few months. As above, monsoon can have big impacts on
safe travel so do exercise caution.

Note: Mustang, Dolpo and
Humla are generally not affected by monsoon as they are in the rain shadow.

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Rafting – Limited: rafting opportunities
are always limited in the monsoon period. The Bhote Khosi river and rafting
area is in the YELLOW zone and not operating. Consult your Rafting Outfitter

Bungee Jumping- Limited. Consult your
Tour Operator The second highest bungee in the world at the Last Resort is
currently closed (YELLOW zone). There is
a possibility it may re-open in autumn. The bungee in Pokhara is operating as
normal.

Paragliding & Parahawking Operating
as normal although flight opportunities are very limited in the monsoon. Most
of the Paragliding and Parahawking happen in Pokhara which sustained little or
no damage at all during the earthquake.

Paddle Boarding Operating as normal.
This happens in Pokhara’s Phewa Lake and it has sustained no damage at all.

Canyoning- Not Advisable in popular areas. The most popular canyoning happens
in the Bhote Koshi Corridor, in one of the YELLOW districts. In newer opened
canyons, use caution as expert assessments have not been done. Talk to your
specialist operator

Nepal Tourism Recovery is a collective of travel insiders based in
Nepal. Supported by CBI (Holland) and NTB (Nepal) and has the wider acceptance of the national and international tourism industry. All information contained in
this document has been checked and verified at the date stated in the header.
We cannot however be responsible for third party sourced information. We
encourage feedback and welcome new relevant information.